1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of trailer hitches, more particularly, to portable trailer hitch devices which are adaptable to be placed onto the forks of a motorized vehicle or fork lift truck.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Trailer hitches for fork lift trucks have been described in the prior art. However, none of the prior art discloses the unique features of the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,897, dated Nov. 5, 1996, Wass disclosed a portable quick hitching device which connects to a vehicle equipped with a bucket or other attached implement. The base of the device is constructed so as to engage the lip of the bucket and to support a towing ball or wagon hitch pin. A brace attached to an opposing side of the bucket secures the base to the bucket.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,911, dated Mar. 29, 1994, Powell disclosed an invention which pertains to an apparatus for lifting a container. The lifting apparatus has an elongate member having a first end and a second end and device for lockingly engaging the elongate member to the container, such as a fifth wheel plate attached to the elongate member which lockingly engages with the container. There is a first end attachment connected in proximity to the first end for connection to a mechanism which lifts the container through the apparatus and a second end attachment connected in proximity to the second end for connection to the mechanism which lifts the container through the apparatus. The invention is also a system for tilting a container. The system includes a fifth wheel plate and device for lifting the fifth wheel plate when it is lockingly engaged with the container. The fifth wheel plate is attached to the lifting device such that as the container is tilted by the lifting device through the fifth wheel plate, the fifth wheel plate remains lockingly engaged with the container. Preferably, the tilting device includes a vehicle, such as a bulldozer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,609, dated Mar. 24, 1992, Swaggert disclosed a portable draft bar which is demountably attached to a horizontally disposed surface of an earth-working implement that is adjustably disposed on an earthmoving vehicle by providing an elongated draft bar that is adapted at its rear end to be driveably attached to the rear portion of a horizontally-disposable surface of an earth-working implement, such as a front end loader, and which is slidably disposed in a clamp adapted to be clamped to a forward portion of the work surface so as to provide three-dimensional stability and connection of the draft bar to the vehicle for use as, for example, in moving trailers and the like.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,013, dated Dec. 27, 1977, Orthman disclosed the spaced apart arms of a fork lift vehicle which are slidably received in sleeves mounted on the lower ends of spaced apart legs carried on a cross member. Upwardly facing hooks are provided on each of the legs and cross member for detachable engagement with hitch pins on a three-point mounted implement. A U-shaped stop having a cross member and perpendicular legs is pivotally connected through the free ends of the legs to the outer ends of the mounting sleeves opposite the hooks and is pivotal from a horizontal position for engagement with the standard of a fork lift vehicle to an upstanding inoperative position.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,881,619, dated May 6, 1975, Morris disclosed a portable self-contained fifth wheel device for detachably mounting on a vehicle for pulling a wheeled container comprising a frame for detachable connection on a wheeled vehicle of the type having at least one support arm with the frame including a pivotally mounted support member for detachable connection to a wheeled container. The frame has at least one interlocking member including a hollow housing in the form of a guide track for slidably receiving the support arm, and the housing includes a fluid actuated lock means for selective locking engagement with the support arm for supportably mounting the container on the fifth wheel device.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,809,759, dated Oct. 15, 1957, Manker disclosed an invention which relates to a fork lift truck bracket and more particularly to a bracket mountable on the forks of a fork lift truck and having a trailer hitch thereon for maneuvering trailers about with a fork lift truck.
While these prior art trailer hitch related devices may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.